Thompson, who served during President Bush’s first term, is on the board of Centene Corp., a St. Louis-based company that operates Medicaid-funded health maintenance organizations in Indiana, Kansas, Missouri, New Jersey, Ohio, Texas and Wisconsin. His proposals to move more Medicaid beneficiaries and uninsured people onto such (state) plans could improve the company’s bottom line.

Thompson also is chairman of the Deloitte Center for Health Solutions, part of Deloitte & Touche USA LLP, a consulting firm that has contracted with states to help improve their Medicaid programs. (BD note – Deloitte now manages Medicaid health systems and reporting in Wisconsin)

To be clear – in 2006, one year after leaving the Bush Administration and deciding to not serve a second term; Thompson was paid over $1 million by a key lobbying firm for powerful and profitable (because of Thompson’s efforts) pharmaceuticals. In 2007, just one year later, Thompson and his partners at Akin Gump began representing a different type of interest – financial.

Records show that in 2007 – just before the largest economic recession since the Great Depression; Akin Gump began representing Bain Capital in lobbying for favorable securities and investment policy/legislation. Thompson and partners were paid $500,000 by Bain in 2007. In 2008, Akin Gump was paid $480,000 by Bain for financial lobbying efforts. The economy has crashed and jobs have been outsourced through the actions of firms like Bain; Thompson and his partners continue to reap the benefits.

This is not the Tommy Thompson that served as Governor of Wisconsin and negotiated with public employee unions. Thompson has changed. His refusal to disclose his taxes in light of historical information above is troubling – as it begs the question, whom does he serve? The new Tommy Thompson is far removed from the farm, has much to hide, and everything to lose.